What vital task did you not realize someone was doing regularly until they suddenly stopped?
Could be a partner, roommate, coworker, or somebody you volunteered with. They could have stopped for any reason from leaving, getting sick or hurt or even dying to just getting sick of doing that one thing and stopping.
Coworker of mine was handling hardware returns for our main data center. There were two issues with this: It wasn't his job and he never told anyone about it. Work fired him during his vacation because they saw he wasn't completing his assignments, but never asked him for reasons.
Six months later, the company got hit with over 200k in service plan renewals for hardware we no longer used.
Imagine being in a meeting with all the most important people when they figure out the problem and it turns out that you were the one who fired the guy. What I wouldn't give to listen in on that meeting lmao
When I started living by myself a while back, I realised how much random housework was being done by my parents. There's the obvious ones like cooking, shopping and doing the dishes. But there's also meal planning, cleaning, buying non-obvious essentials like toiletries, and more, which I wouldn't normally think about.
I've got a kid who is nearly out of school. There's a real sense that his idea of the future is eternal summer vacation at his parents' house earning just enough money to hang out with friends. It's a struggle to decide how to deter that pattern of behavior. As parents we want to be able to do anything for our kids, but we also need to do what's best for them, not just what they want.
The kid is going to learn a lot about what we do to keep the house in reasonable order and stocked for life. We've been trying to teach that as we go, but it doesn't always seem to sink in.
God you don't realize how many tiny things you need to buy until you don't have them.
You'd expect to find something like a ruler, some tape, a pen, sticky notes, ect. but realize you gotta buy them first instead of just searching your clutter drawers.
that's really fucked up. don't get me wrong, i'm not judging you, our culture has probably fucked me up the same way as you, i just dont happen to have kids. but not preparing kids for the real actual world is fucked up, and there is a serious disconnect with reality being instilled by our culture in them, and also in you to make that happen. my point is that it is a serious dysfunction in modem culture required to make happen.
Someone I worked with (indirectly) managed her team when certain changes needed to happen with infrastructure. After she left, her replacement wasn't given guidance on why this was important. A routine infra change led to multiple days of chaos because that end wasn't handled properly.
I ended up demoted as a result, but not fired nor docked pay. My job is easier because I have less responsibility, so the grass is definitely greener over here. I'm watching my temp replacement struggle with the position and I don't miss it.
that's kind of awesome. the inverse of your story is what ive seen more often, the promotion that is more work for no more pay. both reflect the same corporate dysfunction.